A 3D model includes a virtual skeleton/infrastructure comprised of bones that are arranged in a hierarchical tree structure. Surrounding the bones is a polygon mesh, comprised of polygons such as triangles, which represents the skin of the 3D model. Movement of the polygon mesh is tied to the movement of the bones so that the 3D model approximates real-life movement when the bones are re-positioned.
The 3D model inhabits a virtual world, in which the distance to a virtual camera dictates perspective. A virtual light source, positioned in the environment of the virtual world, is used as a reference point for projecting shadows of the 3D model onto surfaces in the environment.